202 Jarvis Street

Ryerson University is preparing to move forward with a new project that will provide additional academic space for our community. The university is submitting an application to rezone 202 Jarvis Street to allow an increase in the total permissible density on the site, so that Ryerson can build when funding becomes available.

The 1.38 acre property was purchased together with 136 Dundas Street East in 2013, and is currently being used as a surface parking lot. These two properties are Ryerson’s only remaining undeveloped sites on campus. In a constrained area with soaring real estate prices, 202 Jarvis represents the last significant opportunity for Ryerson to relieve the intense space pressures caused by rapid growth.

Engaging community feedback to optimize designs

In 2017, Ryerson hosted a community open house to discuss potential plans, identify opportunities and challenges, and build understanding by listening to the experiences of people living and working in the area. Neighbours, workers, volunteers, city staff, business owners and students attended the open house.

We collected feedback from attendees to inform design plans based on the following themes:

Community members shared these comments around the theme of enjoyment:

Retail services are important

Access to light and air is important

Neighbouring residents’ rooftop space and sunlight should be protected/preserved

Spaces, programs and amenities for youth in the area need to be improved and supported

Green space could be good or bad: some felt there is not enough in the area; others felt it was a safety concern

Design plans have incorporated this feedback as follows:

Proposed tower height to be comparable to other developments in the area; density is required to fit program needs

Design includes terracing and setbacks to create visual interest at different elevations, to create opportunities for green roofs and to complement the character of the adjacent building

Design provides a significant amount of open courtyard, garden and boulevard space, with plantings that follow Ryerson public realm design guidelines through the maintenance of clear sightlines and well-lit connecting paths

Community members shared these comments around the theme of living and working:

Maintaining a sense of community is important

Additional green space could help generate cheerful, bright green spaces in the neighbourhood

The neighbourhood is well-served for living and working, including access to public transit

There’s a need for parking for people who live in the area

Design plans have incorporated this feedback as follows:

The design provides for outdoor public space in a cohesive, connected path to create porosity through the block

The design uses data-informed design to resolve its massing and urban footprint to enhance and extend the fabric of the neighbourhood

Earlier plans considered onsite parking, however the proposed development is situated in a highly transit-friendly location—on the 505 Dundas streetcar route and less than 500 metres away from the Dundas subway station